1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to dolls, specifically to an actuating mechanism for animating a doll. 2. Prior Art
A real person typically hugs by raising his or her arms, closing them around another person, opening them, and lowering them. Some mechanical dolls have been provided with actuating mechanisms for imitating a hug. U.S. Pat. No. 3,053,008 to Pelunis (1962) shows a hugging doll with a spring having a forwardly bowed middle portion positioned behind the chest, and end portions positioned in the arms. The junction between each end portion and the bowed middle portion includes a U-shaped portion positioned in a pivot. When the doll is hugged by a person, the bowed middle portion of the spring is pressed inwardly, and the ends of the spring are rotated forwardly about the pivots to wrap the doll's arms around the person, thus reciprocating the hug. When the doll is released, the arms spring backwardly to their original positions. However, the doll's arms only close and open in a horizontal plane, without rising and lowering like a real person's would.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,125,828 to Ostrander (1964) shows a hugging doll with two generally C-shaped rods each extended into the arm and leg on one side of the body. The rods are pivoted at the shoulders and hips, and include outwardly bowed middle portions positioned behind the chest. When the doll is hugged by a person, the chest and the middle portion of the rods are pressed inwardly, and the arms and legs are rotated by the ends of the rods forwardly. The arms of the Ostrander doll are also limited to dosing and opening; they do not rise and lower.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,212,132 to Lewanoni (1980) shows a hugging doll with the longer portions of two L-shaped members embedded in the arms. A hinge is arranged at the elbow of each L-shaped member. The shorter portions of the L-shaped members are connected to the doll's chest. When the doll is hugged by a person, the chest is moved inwardly, and the longer portions of the L-shaped members are rotated forwardly to create a hugging motion. The arms are incapable of rising and lowering.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,601,671 to DeMars (1986) shows a hugging doll with front and back plates spaced by resilient members. A pair of arms are hingeably connected to the front plate. A pair of connecting members hingeably connect the back plate to intermediate portions of the arms. When the front and back plates are compressed together against the resilient member, the connecting members push the arms forwardly to perform a hugging motion. The arms are incapable of rising and lowering.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,378,188 to Clark (1995) shows a hugging doll with front and back plates spaced by two pairs of opposing leaf springs set 90 degrees apart. The middle portions of the springs are connected to the arms and legs by tendons. When the doll is hugged by a person, the plates compress the springs, which flatten and extend outwardly in the vertical and horizontal directions. The extension of the springs pulls the tendons to close the arms and bend the legs in a hugging motion. Like other prior art dolls, the arms of the Clark mechanism are also incapable of rising and lowering.